Little Bear books (illustrations)Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and A PrologueIn the Night KitchenWhere the Wild Things Are

If only we could all leave behind four works of this quality.

And this was only a small fraction of the great books by Maurice Sendak, who died yesterday at the age of 83. He was one of a handful of people who, in the mid-20th century, altered the landscape of children’s literature.

Where the Wild Things Are is one of a handful of books my mother read to me (when it was new and somewhat subversive) that I, in turn, read to my children. I expect a repeat for many generations to come.

Coincidentally, Stephen Colbert’s I’m A Pole (And So Can You!) was released yesterday. On the cover, above the title, is the following: “The sad thing is: I like it!” – Maurice Sendak